Nearly a month after the national elections, Likud-Beiteinu has finally sealed its first coalition agreement:Hatnua Chairwoman TzipiLivnifinalized a coalition agreement with Likud-Beiteinu on Tuesday. According to the agreement Livni will serve as justice minister in Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu's third government and will also head the Israeli negotiation team during any futurepeacetalks with the Palestinians. In addition, Livni will be a member of the prime minister's inner cabinet.

Netanyahu will supervise over the negotiations, and any draft agreement will require the government's approval.

Fellow Hatnua memberAmir Peretz, a former defense minister, will apparently receive the Environmental Protection portfolio. However, there is a small chance that Amram Mitzna, who is placed second on Hatnua's Knesset roster, will serve as Environmental Protection minister.

The agreement between Livni and Netanyahu was reached without the knowledge of Hatnua faction members. Haim Ramon, Livni's political ally, was not informed of the deal.

The PM and Livni are expected to release a short statement on the agreement at around 8 pm.

According to the agreement, following the establishment of the next government, a team of ministers, headed by Netanyahu, will be set up to oversee the peace process. Livni, as well as the next defense and foreign ministers, will be a part of the team.

The agreement states that once the government is established, "the prime minister and justice minister will work to resume the diplomatic process. In case an agreement is reached, it will be brought to the government and Knesset and, if the law requires, it will be put to a referendum."

Livni is the first leader from the Left-Center bloc to sign a coalition agreement with Likud-Beiteinu. Her party won only six seats in the January 22elections. Following the vote, Livni vowed not to join the government without other Left-Center factions.

"Hatnua was the only party to wave the diplomatic flag in the elections," she said at the time, adding that the party would agree to be a part of the next government only if it will "lead the diplomatic process, as we promised during the election campaign."

The 28 days given Netanyahu to form a government will be over in less than two weeks, but apart from the deal with Livni, no progress has been noted in the coalition negotiations.

Sources within the Likud-Beiteinu negotiation team said that the PM is planning a breakthrough in the next few days – so that agreements can be reached with the coalition partners before an extension is required.

Concurrently, Lapid and Bennett stated that negotiations have stalled. "It's been a week since any significant negotiations have taken place," said Bennett.

"Habayit Hayehudi has time,Israeldoesn't. Our faction is interested to be in the government to serve, and we're interested in joining Netanyahu. The moment they decide to negotiate I believe an agreement can be reached within 24 hours."